Data stream processing devices are generally complicated. Networking device engineers, for example, typically use a knowledge of analog hardware, digital hardware, and software to develop networking devices. Such devices typically include analog hardware for implementing a physical layer of a networking protocol, digital hardware layers just above the physical layer for performance, and software layers above the hardware layers to provide flexibility.
There are many networking protocols that are used or optimized for different application attributes. The number of protocols is proliferating at a rapid rate, and many existing protocols are continually being upgraded to faster versions. Because of this continual change, networking test tools are not keeping up. In other words, known approaches to the design and development of networking device testing tools are too slow, complicated and expensive for the tools to be available for testing new networking devices in a timely manner.
Reasons for inadequate design and development approaches include test architectures that match that of a target network device, development dependencies, and lack of sharing across companies. A typical known architecture for network test equipment mimics that of the target networking device being tested, but with additional precision and control. This generally implies that it will be expensive to develop the test equipment and that the test equipment will be available later than the target networking devices to be tested.
To lower the development costs for test equipment, standard components may be used. This creates a dependency that delays when the test equipment can be available. For example, if a standard radio chip (e.g., wireless transceiver integrated circuit) is used, the radio chip must be completed before test equipment can be completed. If, a custom radio chip is developed instead, it eliminates the dependency, but increases the development costs. Current tools are not meeting the schedule requirements of development engineers, because of these delays.
Companies are attacking this initial test problem individually. There is no standard interface or other sharing of technology to leverage investment. As each new generation of network devices emerges, the initial testing needs force a re-invention of a testing solution. Most commonly, that testing solution is a custom-built version of the very product that is in development and requires testing. These custom-built tools are typically hard to use, poorly maintained, and expensive to develop.